Process of distillation.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908.

H. O. GHUTE.

PROCESS OF DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.19, 1907.

Unucnhaz IHARRY o. OHUTE, or CLEVELAND, 01110.

' PROCESS OF DISTILLATION;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. OHUTE, a citizen of the United States, residing 'the city of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and

State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Distillation; and I do hereby declare the followin to be .a full, clear, and exact description 0 the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make v and use the same.

This invention relates to processes of distillation and consists in a method of distilling com lex liquids to regain fractions of different boiling point, said method comprising the vaporization of a selected portion of the hi h boiling constituent freed from the low boiling constituent to furnish heat to evaporate and distil off low boiling fractions of such com lex liquid and said method being articular y applicable to the products of the estructive distillation of wood and similar li uids containing tar or other solids or semisdlids which tend to settle out of the liquid being distilled; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the destructive distillation of wood, the condensed product consists in part of a watery liquid usually called yroligneous acid, or pyroligneous liquor containing acetic and other acids-methyl alcohol, acetone, and other volatile bodies together with more or less tar held in solution or susension in the watery li uid by the solvent influence of the state substances. The methyl alcohol, which boils at 66 C. and the acetone, or methyl acetone, which boils at 56 together with sundry other low-boilin constituents in less amount, when regaine from this liquid constitute the wood alcohol of commerce. In distilling ofi wood alcohol from the crude pyroligneous acid in the ordinary apparatus and by the ordinary methods used in fractional distillation, the wood alcohol is found to carry with it considerable acetic and other acids, this being particularly the case if the distillation is conducted by the introduction of free steam into the apparatus. If the distillation be conducted by coil steam, the tar which separates from the liquid as the volatile solvents forming the wood alcohol leave the mixture, deposits on the heating elements and bakes there, rendering very frequent cleaning necessary and militating against the efficiency of the operation. This tar separates in the form of very fine globules requiring some time to deposit.

In another application, filed Dec. 3, 1904, Serial Number, 235,280, I have described a method and means of accomplishing a fractional distillation of pyroli neous acid to recover wood alcohol inwhlch the pyroligneous acid is passed downward through a continuously acting column still against an ascendin current of vapors enerated from a selecte portion of the alco ol-free liquid, which serve to afiord the heat necessary for distillation, until it is free from alcohol when it reaches an unheated comparativel large.

settlin and quieting chamber in the ass of the'sti l where it remains at rest in comparatively large volume while the separated tar settles out. In this bod of liquid, the top is more or less disturbe by incomi alcohol-freed liquid from the still above w e at the base tar accumulates. I therefore draw off a ortion of the alcohol-freed liquid from a mi portion of such bod below the point where it is disturbed an where the settling tar accumulates, run the selected portion into a separate heater where it is boiled by steam coils or other means, and return the vapors generated into the top of above the point a the settling chamber above the normal level I of the li 111d therein to serve to furnish heat to the co umn still above.

suitable in treating pyroligneous acid and similar tarry liquids, is also adapted for treating other liquids which de osit solids and semi-solids. In distilling a 001101 from grain such as corn and rye there are solid substances of a slimy nature which are very liable to precipitate on coils or other heating members, so that it is desirable to remove from the still the portion from which the alcohol has been extracted and remove these insoluble solids by filter pressing, returning to the vapor generator or boiler the clear portion or filtrate. For distillin such grain alcohol and many other liquids t e described method has the further advantage of performing the distillation wholly by the vapors of the liquid under treatment without introduction of steam to dilute such li uid or to" impart an oily taste to liquid an distil- In the priorapplication, I have elected to claim an appalate. In distillin ordinary alcoholic liquids where taste and avor are important this is quite an. advantage. Steam usually imparts flavor and odor to the alcoholic products and the use of coil steam in relations Where separated solids can settle on a coil and bake there is disadvantageous for similar reasons. By withdrawing a selected portion of settled and quieted liquid and using it to enerate heating vapors, clean flavored products are obtained. The process is, however, especially well adapted to the liquids which separate tar and similar bodies.

In distilling fermentation products there are in addition to the grain or ethyl alcohol, frequently small. portions of other delicate com ounds such as aldehydes, esters, etc., are very important as being, or on a eing producing, flavors of great value. T ese products are in some cases broken up by heat if placed in a pot still or the kettle of an ordinary column still, but by being introduced and volatilized near the top of the continuous column where the temperatures are low they .are thus reserved while the selected portion being ree of volatile constituents may be heated to a temperature necessary to produce the vapors without any damage to the quality of the distillate.

In the accompanying illustration I have shown, somewhat diagrammatically, apparatus capable of use in performing the described rocess.

In this showing :Figure 1 shows the apparatus as a whole, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section; and Fig. 2 is a etail view showing an adjustable joint.

In this showing, 1 designates the column still proper as a whole. The internal construction (not shown) may be of any of the ordinary types. The still is however, provided with numerous manholes, 2, allowing free access to all the cups and shelves or other fractionating devices used, this being substantially necessary to operating on tarry liquids like pyroligneous acid.

3 designates a pipe communicating with a pressure gage of amiliar form for indicating pressure, and, therefore, the temperature, at the base of the still.

4 designates a testin device connected with the still at a lura ity of points 5 by pipe 6. Vapors w 'ch may be drawn ofl' om various points along the height of the still passed throu h Water cooled condenser 7, and condensed iquid flows through pipe 8 into hydrometer cup 9. By the indications of this hydrometer, the richness in alcohol of the vapors at various points in the still may be ascertained and the working of the still controlled. Liquid enters through pump 10 and pipe 11 into heat interchanger 12 (shown in sectlon) where it passes through tubes 13 bathed by vapors from the still, being thereby heated and serving to condense out lowboiling fractions from said vapors for return to the still. From the heat interchanger, the liquid passes through pipe 14 connected to the stil at a plurality of points 15 (three such connections are shown), giving the operator the opportunity to introduce it at a point where the liquid on the plate of the still is of about the same average alcoholic richness as said ingoing li uid. The liquid goes down through the stil and is fractlonated and refractlonated in the well understood manner, the alcoholic vapors roduced leaving the still at its head throu pipe 16 and passing to and through the eatmterchanger. Such portion as is condensed in the interchanger 18 returned through ipe 17 connected to the still at a lurality of oints 18 at different heights. ncondense rich vapors leave the heat interchan er through pipe 19 and pass to and througl i condenser 20, leaving by pipe 21.

The column still is mounted on a settling and quieting chamber 22, of comparatively lar e capaclty. This chamber is unheated an has free vapor connection with the base of the column still proper while liquid flows from such base downwardly to a point near the bottom of the chamber through pipe 23. By this arrangement, the top layers of liquid in the chamber may remain undisturbed and quiet to permit settlement of tar and other insoluble bodies. As there will commonly, however, be more or less floating matter, the uppermost layer of li uid in the chamber is not usually so clear an pure as a layer somewhat below the top of the body but well above its bottom.

A selected ortion of the liquid in the chamber, clarii ied by quiet settling, is drawn 0H and used to furnish vapors for heating the column still. For this pu ose, the chamber is rovided at a oint wel above its bottom with an adjustable ta ping pipe 24, this pipe within the chamber having a bent portion 25 and without the chamber having a connection 26, (shown in more detail in Fig. 2), on which it may be freely turned. By turning the pipe more or less, any desired layer of li u1d within the uieting and settling cham er maybe ta pe ofl. As shown, this pipe is provided wit a flange at its outer end meeting a similar flange on a stationary pi e 27 and also has an annular cap, 28, rigid W1th the first flange and covering it and the second flange, behind which latter-it is provided with an annular flan e. With this construction and suitable pac ing it is obvious that the tappingupipe may be freely turned on its axis w 'e still preserving a tight joint.

The stationar pipe (27) communicates with a boiler, in icated as a whole by 29, of special construction. Its body is divided by tube sheets 30 into upper and lower liquid ber.

the column still'fiows off with said first chambers, 31 and 32, and an intermediate heating chamber 33, through which communication is afforded by tubes 34. Around these tubes, steam is circulated by means of inlet 35 and outlet 36, thereby boiling the liquid in the tubes. To permit the necessary circulation in this boller, comparatively large, air-cooled external pipes 37 are pro vided connecting the up er and lower liquid cham er. Into one 0 these circulation ipes, the liquid supply pipe (27) is tapped. he vapors generated in the boiler leave it through pipe 38 and enter the settling chamber at a point well above the normal liquid level therein, from the chamber of course gassing upwards into the column still. The

oiler is provided with clean-out tap 39.

To preserve the normal liquid level in the settling chamber, the latter is provided with a float 40, operating in its rising and falling to revolve valve-stem 41 operating a valve in a draw-ofi pi e 42. This pipe communicates with the ase of the settling and quieting chamber and serves to remove accumulating tar and liquid, the amount of liquid sent to the boiler being of course but a fraction of that which enters the quieting cham- As there is plus pressure in the still, whenever the valve float tends to rise liquid is discharged through this drawoff pipe. The liquid and vapor spaces in the settlmg chamber and the boiler having free intercommunication, the same liquid level will prevail in both. The settling chamber is shown as mounted on a support 43 which may be masonry orother suitable foundation.

The'operation of the device shown is believed apparent from the foregoin The liquid descending from the column sti l enters the body of liquid in the uieting chamber near its base so as not to disturb said body. Heavy insolubles, like tar, settle to the bottom of the bodyand floating insolubles rise to its surface while a selected portion of the clarified liquid is drawn oil to furnish vapor to heat the still, the residue of the li uid equivalent to that flowing in is drawn 0 at the base of the body, carrying with it settled matters. This portion tapped 0d at the base is of course much larger in amount than the portion tap ed ofi' above it to feed the boiler, and the bu k of the liquid descending from ortion, so that the body of the liquid is given ample time and opportunity for settling and clarification.

In the ordinary distillation of fermented spirituous liquors by the pot still method,

the tailings contain, frequently, what has been described as a waxy or oily substance of a disagreeable and persistent odor, which persists even in the aged product. By distilling in the method above described, this waxy or oily substance does not appear in the distillate and therefore the quality of the product is superior to that made by the pot still method.

The apparatus above described is described and claimed in my application for Letters Patent filed December 3, 1904, Sr. No. 235,280, in which a plication the process of distillation above escribed is also substantially described.

What I claim is 1. The process of separating wood alcohol and pyroligneous acid which consists in passing crude pyroligneous liquor through a continuously acting chambered column still and generating sufficient vapor from a selected portion of the liquor to distil off the alcohol.

2. The process of distillation which consists in passing a complex liquid through a column still, settling and quieting the low boiling fraction from the base of the still as a body of liquid to ermit insolubles to settle, withdrawing a sel cted portion of the clarified liquid from above the base of such body, converting said selected portion into va or and returnin the va or to the column stil to furnish heat or disti ation.

3. The process of distilling pyroligneous acid which consists in passing pyroligneous liquor downward through a chambered column still against an ascendin current of vapor to distil off wood alcoho permittin alcohol-freed liquid from the base of the still to settle as a body in a quieting chamber to deposit tar, drawing off a selected ortion of such alcohol-freed liquid at a point elow the top and above the bottom of such body, converting such selected portion into va or and returning the vapors to the still to istil off wood alcohol. 1

4. The process of distilling which consists in passing a complex liquid throu h a continuously acting column still, with rawing a selected portion from the lower chamber of the still, converting said selected portion into va or and returning this vapor to the column sti l to furnish heat for disti lation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY o. OHUTE.

Witnesses H. M. MARBLE, FRANK E. RAFFMAN. 

